Great old speakers that are as good as new ones

There are many old speakers that sound as good as very good modern ones.
They might be less neutral but that does not mean they are not as good-just that you have to take more care with amplifier and cable matching.
Gale 401a speakers are fantastic by any standards.They even look thoroughly modern.There is nothing old sounding about their sound either.NO modern sounding speaker betters them for bass quality.They are amplifier fussy but really work well with something like a 70 watt modern tube amp like a Ming Da EL34 AB.

you know whats tough? auditioning older speakers. there is no way to listen to any of this old gear anymore. i would love to listen to some of these older speakers but how? you are basically hoping that you like them when u purchasing. do most of you just take others advice? sorry for so many questions. kevin

07-13-09: Flyin2jz
you know whats tough? auditioning older speakers. there is no way to listen to any of this old gear anymore.

I guess I'm lucky where I live, close to this store. Scroll down to their used speakers. At their store they'll take any pair listed (e.g., the ADS M12 or L1290, Dynaco A35, KEF 103/4, Linn Kelidh, etc.), hook it up to an appropriate system, and give you a private audition.

One speaker that sticks out is the NS-1000M but the chances of finding a pair that function within specification are rare and slim. On almost every pair I've ever seen the tops of the formers or leads between the coil and solder joint to input leads are browned or burned from heat on the tweeters and mids. This browned portion does still allow current to flow to the speaker and function but causes electrical noise, an inherent property of resistance and thus varying degrees of audible distortion. They can be fixed but it is tedious and requires a steady hand and test equipment. They burn so easy there are virtually no replacements left available, so a good set is becoming worth more than they used to be. Burning is also a large concern with some AR speakers. It takes time but not much current to slow-cook the wires on these speakers; they just cannot dissipate heat fast enough.

Others that are in my mind are the JBL 250Ti LE and ESL-63, both excellent speakers as well by any regard.

I still use a pair of 15+ year old Sonus Faber Minuettos in my office - they're playing right now. Not the most accurate loudspeaker ever built, but satisfying sound from a small box.

Marty